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• Saturday, December 15, 2018

  Wreaths Across America Reflection

  
  By Robert Stronach

  Legionnaires across the state and nation were out at cemeteries Dec. 15 for National Wreaths Across America Day.

  Many others were out too to honor military veterans by placing wreaths on their graves. The Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, churches, the public, other veterans organizations, military personnel, Coast Guard Auxiliary — and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), one of the first organizations to adopt and promote the event nationally. CAP is the search-and-rescue, aerospace education and cadet-mentoring auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

  Because of my involvement with CAP as a wing and region public affairs officer, Wreaths Across America held special meaning – not unlike Veterans Day.

  It is a touching remembrance, when cadets, veterans and military personnel bend down, touch graves, then stand and salute.

  The scene is quite striking in cemeteries with many veterans, and especially in cemeteries for veterans — with a vast sea of wreaths spreading forever. It’s as if snow-dusted land, suddenly heaving a sea of green, were silently shouting… and then sighing:

  “Thank you for your service. You are in a sacred place now.”